Woman arrested after police find 150-plus pills in coinpurse

Police arrested 35-year-old Jessica Bush of Orange after a call regarding a shoplifting incident resulted in the discovery of more than 150 prescription pills illegally in the woman’s possession, Orange Police Department (OPD) reported.

At approximately 8:25 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, OPD officers received a call regarding a shoplifter at Market Basket on 16th St. Management at the store reportedly detained the suspect in the parking lot. When police arrived, Bush was sitting in the driver’s seat of a white 2002 Honda. The store manager was standing outside the vehicle and indicated to police that Bush was seen taking items from the store without paying for them.

According to the police report, OPD Officer Jonathan Baggett asked the suspected shoplifter to get out of her vehicle, at which point he reported she hesitated. He observed three prescription pill bottles in the suspect’s purse and asked to look at them. She gave him the bottles, and he determined they were Bush’s prescription. Once she exited the vehicle, Baggett received verbal consent to search the car. Upon searching the Honda, the officer reported he found a coin purse containing over 150 pills and prescription labels inside identifying people other than Bush should have possession of the drugs. Police reported Lortab, Zoloft and other medications were identified with several unknown pills. Bush was arrested for one Class A count of possession of a controlled substance and three Class B counts of possession of a controlled substance and booked into the Orange County Jail.

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